Garment-supporter.



R. T. CLARKE.

GARMENT SUPPORTER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, I916.

. f INVEN'I'OR I m i %s Patented Oct. 31,1916.

RICHARD T. CLARKE, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

GARMENT-SUPPORTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

Application filed May 8, 1916. Serial No. 96,150.

ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in garment supporters and more particu-' larly to combined suspenders and garters adapted especially for boys use,one ob ect of the invention being to so construct a garment supporter of the type specified that the front and back members will be held away from the hip joints so that it will not uncomfortably hug the body of the wearer.

A further object is to construct combined suspenders and garters in such manner that the pull upon the shoulder members at the front and back shall be balanced, and so that the pull from the stockings to the-waist line will be direct and the usual pressure of the garter portions against the legs of the wearer thus obviated.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a view of a garment supporter showing an embodiment of my invention, and Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

1, 1 represent the shoulder straps which are connected at' the rear or back ends by a vertical back strap 2 adapted to occupy a central position at the back of the wearer. The back strap may comprise two pieces of webbing stitched together with the meeting ends of the shoulder straps secured between them, and said back strap depends below the meeting ends of the shoulder straps. To the lower end of this back strap, the upper ends of downwardly and laterally projecting straps 3 are secured and these straps are made of such length as to terminate at their lower end approximately at the waist line and somewhat in rear of the hip joints of the wearer.

The shoulder straps are made adjustable by means of buckles 4 of any approved construction, and with the front end of each shoulder strap, suspender ends 5-6 are connected. At each side of the device, each suspender end 5 is provided with a button 7 to engage the waist band of the trousers of the wearer, while the suspender end 6 is stitched between the folded end of a horizontal side strap 8,'the other folded end of said side strap being secured to the lower end of the adjacent downwardly and later: ally projecting back strap 3,the horizontal strap 8 thus connecting the suspender end 6 and diagonal strap 3 and being so disposed that it will come above the hipjoint of the wearer. At the junctures of the straps 3 and 6 with the horizontal side strap, buttons 910v are located and thus suitably spaced apart to engage button holes in the waist band of the trousers. Parallel garter straps 1112 are secured at their upper ends to respective ends of each side strap 8 and thus said side straps also serve to connect the upper ends of the garter straps and keep them properly spaced apart. The garter straps are made adjustable by suitable buckles 13;, and with said garter straps, suitable hose attaching devices 14 are connected.

With my improved construction, the horizontal side straps 8 serve to connect the garter straps with suspender ends at the front of the supporter and also with the diagonal back straps 3, and through the latter, with the central back strap 2 to which the back ends of the shoulder straps are connected. By the employment of the horizontal side connecting straps 8 arranged as above explained, the pull on the shoulder straps at the front and back will be balanced and direct pull from the stockings and the trousers to the shoulder straps will be maintained. V fortably hug the wearer and no part thereof will come against the body of the wearer at the hip joints or shoulder blades. The proper positions of the various parts of the device will be maintained and still accommodate themselves to the various movements ofthe body of the wearer under all conditions.

Slight changes might be made in the details of construction of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting its scope and hence I do not wish to restrict myself to the precise details herein set forth.

Having fully described my invention what The supporter will not uncom- I I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. In a garment supporter, the combination With shoulder straps connected attheir rear ends, diagonal back straps connected With said shoulder straps and two suspencler ends at the front end of said shoulder straps, of a side strap connecting each diagonal back strap with one of the suspender ends, trousers attaching means at the ends of each side connecting strap and at the free end of each free Suspender end, and garter straps secured to the respective ends of each side connecting strap.

2. In a garment supporter, the combinas tion of shoulder straps, a vertical back strap connecting the back ends of the shoulder straps, diagonal back straps secured to said vertical back strap, two suspender ends at the front end of each shoulder strap, a hori- Zontal connecting strap connecting each diagonal'back strap With one of each pair of suspender ends, trousers'attaching means at respective ends of each horizontalv side strap, trousers attaching means at the free end of each free suspender end, and depending garter straps secured to respective ends of each horizontal side strap.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

RICHARD T. CLARKE;

WVitnesses C. J. HU'ISON, FLORENCE B. BECKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

W ashington, D. G. V 

